


Forever, Be Mine

by SketchLockwood



Category: The White Queen (TV)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-01-16
Updated: 2014-01-16
Packaged: 2018-01-08 23:58:53
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,228
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1139025
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SketchLockwood/pseuds/SketchLockwood
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>I got asked to write this and I simply couldn't resist. Anne and Richard get engaged.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Forever, Be Mine

**Author's Note:**

  * For [fangirl2013](https://archiveofourown.org/users/fangirl2013/gifts).



Anne was alone, why was she always alone? Since the start of their relationship Richard had been obsessed with helping his brother with the business. A graduate from Cambridge university and he knew how to flaunt it. Yet to Anne it was blindingly obvious how he, the small one rendered less intelligent than his golden, handsome brothers, had achieved a first class honours degree in business law by hard work alone. He had never stopped since. Tonight was no exception to that. He had pencilled in time for her at the beginning of the week. Yes, pencilled, nothing concrete... it was erasible. That was just how she felt, erasible. Edward had called her that afternoon on Richards behalf. Interrupting her history class to do so. Teaching eight year old children about the wars of the roses was hard enough; she didn't need people telling her that her plans had been cancelled. Especially not Edward of all people.

She walked home along the road she walked each night, looking at the buildings and over onto the crowded skyline of a bustling central London. A city which never slept. All the while she could not help but think of Richard. Working in his office, or curled up on the sofa of his brothers grand house in Nottinghill. She should have been home earlier she knew as she opened the front door, the cold of the entrance hall greeting her in a manner most unwelcome. She shivered, wrapping the thick coat around her as she climbed the stairs to her flat. She sighed, the coat had been a present from Richard this Christmas. She cursed silently as she fumbled the key in the lock,muttering about her true love... her true pain in the arse.

To her surprise the fire was lit when she got in, the lights on and the living room for once a welcoming sight. Slowly she put her bag down calling her sisters name. Isabel had obviously heard, maybe from George that Richard had stood her up....again. three years of dating and still no serious commitment. How she was starting to doubt it would ever happen. Of course Izzy had as Izzy did, thought it all the worst. That Richard avoided her for he did not want her but did not know how to break it up with her. That was also why he spent so much time around Edward, the great cheat of London, possibly England. Everyone knew Edward had been with a score of women, he had no need to gloat his achievements. Yet even he was married. It did seem as though Izzy was right. Why could Anne just not believe it? 

She hung her coat up stroppily, mildly annoyed at her sisters lack of reply. She stormed through to the kitchen where she heard noise and stopped. Her eyes widening of the sight before her. The table set with cloths of deep red, white rose petals decorated the surface. Crystal wine glasses sat next to the silver place settings. Anne approached smiling at Richard in the candle light. She lifted the bottle from the bucket of crushed ice, looking at the label. "Richard..."

"Chateau d'Yquem, souvignon blanc. Your favourite I know." He hadn't turned from his cooking but she knew he was smiling. As he should have been a 600 pound bottle of wine and a table set so beautiful the Ritz and Claridges had stern competition. 

"You had help?"

"You know?"

"You serve white wine warm."

"Edward saw to that." Richard admitted it with a guilty blush.

"Well..."

"That's why he sounded so sneaky."

"Who?"

"Edward he called." She smiled as she sat, watching Richard cook, a rarity, top luxury. No matter what she thought of Edward, she could not fault the man when it came to style and apparently romance. She smiled as Richard poured the wine, as he served the food and sat opposite her. The smile never left her face as they ate, talked and played gentle footsie under the table. His foot stroking gently up her leg. She almost sobbed as he stood and moved away. She wanted his proximity, to smell his aftershave, hear his breathing. To cling to every second she had to spend with the man she so dearly loved before he once again left her. 

After dessert, and another bottle of wine they moved into the living room, wrapping in each other's arms before the fire. She blushed, smiled as his warm breath caressed her neck, gentle kisses followed. Unlike most men, his hands did not wander, Richard was, she knew, always the gentleman. "I'm sorry I cooked, I was going to take you out for dinner." His voice was full of guilt, before he added with embarrassment. "I am a little short on money." 

"Your brother is a multi millionaire who will give you expensive wine without thought, but he won't give you money for a restaurant?" She teased, turning to kiss his lips gently. "Richard, your food was better than that in any restaurant. It was yours, for me, and you shared it with no other. That's more special than any expensive restaurant." She hadn't lied, if the York's were known for anything it was there food, and there stunning good looks. Cecily York, their mother, was a high class chef. Her time had been spent teaching her boys to cook. As Cecily had told her son's, a girl may be attracted to a pretty face, what she really loved was his cooking. In this case, she had been wrong. Anne Neville knew she loved Richard. So totally and utterly, she was his and he, hers. 

She stopped, looked as he moved, smiling to her. Standing at his full height Richard was a little under six feet tall, a full four inches shorter than Edward, three than George. Dark haired and skin tanned and soft. No matter how she looked at him, how she saw him, he was indeed the most attractive man she had ever seen. Would ever see. She took his hand as he offered, taking her slowly to her feet. "Anne, shall we go swimming?"

"At this time?" He simply nodded, causing her to smile. That was the advantage of living in London with a wage subsidised by a rich man's brother. The rent agreement offered a private gym and pool - for resident use only. She did not hesitate to change into her bathing suit. Wrapped in a bathrobe they both walked down, his hand touching hers as they did. 

The water was warm as she slipped into it, setting off into a graceful swim, smiling as Richard joined her. Three laps and he swam to the edge. She smiled, teasing as he panted for breath. "Tired? And I thought you could beat Edward?"

"I can." Anne heard a clink as something fell into the water, both dived under to retrieve it. It shone, catching the ripples and reflecting them off silver beauty. Richard had resurfaced as her hand enclosed the object. She appeared wet haired and breathless. He wrapped his arms around her as she looked at the object in her hand, gasping. She turned her head, he breathed softly against her ear as he whispered. "Anne Neville, will you be my wife?"

He did not need to hear the words, as her lips connected with his.


End file.
